Ricotta Dip with Asparagus Gremolata

Inspired by an article in the latest issue of Bon Appetit by Andy Baraghani that featured beautiful, simple dips I created this one. It’s full of spring flavors, great for a gathering and really easy to make.

Ricotta Dip with Asparagus Gremolata

6 oz good-quality creamy ricotta cheese

2 green onions

3 asparagus stalks

butter, olive oil, salt & pepper

crudites, crackers or baguette (for serving)

Spread the ricotta on a small plate and drizzle with olive oil, flaky salt and pepper.

To make the gremolata topping, finely chop and sauté the 2 green onions and 3 asparagus stalks with butter, olive oil, salt and pepper on medium heat for 3 minutes or until bright green. Allow to cool (mostly) and then spoon the gremolata over the center of the ricotta. Add a bit more flaky salt over all.

Serve with crudités (like these cucumber slices or carrots), pita chips and/or slices of baguette for a springy appetizer. 

Radish Butter Toast - A Spring Appetizer

I love the colors of Spring! A rainbow of radishes came in my CSA this week mimicking the color of these spring lilacs and ranunculus flowers. Inspired by this Martha Stewart recipe, I made toasts covered in Radish Butter. I love how the creamy butter complements the spicy radish. And with a sprinkle of coarse salt (I use Maldon)- it’s divine for an afternoon snack. It’s SO easy and tasty- I just might smear it on a platter of crostini for our next party…

Enjoy! 

Kale Tacos

I’ve been getting lots of green garlic and kale in my CSA box lately, so I thought..why not make tacos?! Green garlic is simply young garlic that has been thinned out of the vegetable beds. It resembles and tastes like scallions, but with a more garlicky flavor. It’s often at the farmers market in spring, but you can use scallions if you can’t find it. I cook it with a bit of kale and serve it with black beans inside of warm corn tortillas. Top with some greek yogurt and hot sauce, and a squeeze of lemon, if you like. I like to serve them with a platter of crispy cucumber spears, drizzled with lemon juice, cayenne and garlic salt. Yum! This recipe (with one can of beans) makes enough for about 6 tacos. Enjoy!

Lentil Lettuce Cups

Passover Seder in the Woods

Spring has sprung in the woods! Passover is this week and to kick it off, we hosted a first-night Seder.  We spent 2 days cooking all the traditional Jewish dishes: Matzah ball soup, Haroset (a paste of dried fruit and nuts), Farfel (quiche-like squares), Tzimmes (a sweet potato carrot dish), plus a roasted chicken with rosemary and lemon. The seder plate has items that represent different parts of the meal and the Passover story of slavery and freedom, including a hard boiled egg, horseradish, parsley, matzah, a shank bone and the modern addition of an orange. In this story of Exodus, when the Jews fled Egypt, they didn’t have time for their bread to rise, so this week we eat matzah instead of bread as a reminder that there are still people today who seek freedom. Chag Sameach and Happy Passover!

Photos and illustration by Erin Gleeson